Methods
of sewerage reticulation and treatment in the
urban and rural areas differ substantially. Most
of the formal settlements such as Balfour, Secunda,
Ermelo, Standerton, Carolina, Volksrust and Piet
Retief are equipped with a waterborne system. The
other, mostly rural areas still rely on septic
tanks, bucket system or no sanitation system at
all.
Table
14: Sanitation
SANITATION
2000
2001
Flush
Toilet
48.60%
47.33%
Flush
Septic Tank
0.00%
2.72%
Chemical
Toilet
0.00%
0.98%
VIP
0.00%
7.09%
Pit
Latrine
31.62%
23.25%
Bucket
Latrine
10.08%
7.33%
None
9.70%
11.31%
TOTAL
100
%
100
%
Source:
Demarcation Data 2000/2001 Census Data
It
is clear that 41.89% of the population only has
access to pit -, bucket latrines or none at all.
This might create a problem in the long run as the
district authority cannot manage the standard of
these pit latrines. Pollution of the water table
will be a result of this sanitation practice, as
these pit latrines are not necessarily line or
ventilated and are also situated in or adjacent to
wetland areas.
Table
15: Level of Sanitation Services per Ward
CATEGORY
DIPALISENG
GOVAN
MBEKI
MSUKALIGWA
LEKWA
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
Flush
Toilet
41.53%
38.42%
72.79%
67.29%
61.61%
64.57%
60.79%
54.81%
Flush
Septic Tank
0.00%
17.77%
0.00%
1.01%
0.00%
4.00%
0.00%
1.59%
Chemical
Toilet
0.00%
0.63%
0.00%
0.26%
0.00%
0.30%
0.00%
1.33%
VIP
0.00%
1.66%
0.00%
1.03%
0.00%
3.78%
0.00%
2.00%
Pit
Latrine
26.09%
14.36%
9.84%
10.60%
18.92%
16.49%
16.56%
12.64%
Bucket
Latrine
28.46%
19.29%
9.11%
10.59%
11.84%
2.67%
8.03%
12.05%
None
3.92%
7.86%
8.26%
9.22%
7.63%
8.18%
14.62%
15.58%
Table
15: Level of Sanitation Services per Ward Continues
CATEGORY
ALBERT
LUTHULI
PIXLEY
KA SEME
MKHONDO
2000
2001
2000
2001
2000
2001
Flush
Toilet
12.74%
12.80%
45.76%
49.61%
27.80%
28.75%
Flush
Septic Tank
0.00%
2.24%
0.00%
1.82%
0.00%
2.27%
Chemical
Toilet
0.00%
2.58%
0.00%
0.98%
0.00%
0.80%
VIP
0.00%
20.96%
0.00%
11.84%
0.00%
7.63%
Pit
Latrine
76.24%
50.04%
28.07%
19.48%
43.51%
35.39%
Bucket
Latrine
3.72%
3.59%
16.98%
4.60%
9.97%
3.80%
None
7.30%
7.79%
9.20%
11.68%
18.72%
21.35%
Source:
Demarcation Data 2000/2001 Census Data
Table
16 indicates the availability of flush toilets
ranging between 12.80% for Albert Luthuli to
67.29% for Govan Mbeki.
Residents without any toilet facilities range from
7.86% of the population of Dipaliseng to 21.35% of
the inhabitants of Mkhondo Municipality. Residents
with access to pit latrines range between 10.60%
for Govan Mbeki to 50.04% for Albert Luthuli.
As these pit latrines are not necessarily properly
designed, pollution of the ground water bears a
risk. Therefore, the wards with a high percentage
of residents without any sanitation or only pit
latrines pose the biggest challenge to the
district and that local authority to alleviate the
backlog.
